“I'm super excited to be the 2025 Meltdown festival curator! My team and I are preparing eleven days of art, music, workshops and more," said Simz. "So many incredible artists have curated this festival so it's a true honour to be a part of it. Thank you to the Southbank Centre for having me. Meltdown 2025 the Simz way is going to be epic. I'll see you there.”
The DJ Mag and Mercury prize-winning and Brit, MOBO award-nominated UK rapper is the latest in a long line of respected artists to take control of the event's programming.
Now in its 30th year, Meltdown is the UK's longest-running curated festival. 2024's edition was led by Chaka Khan, who brought in the likes of Lady Blackbird, Incognito and Les Amazones D’Afrique. David Bowie, Patti Smith, Ornette Coleman, Lee Scratch Perry, Grace Jones and Jarvis Cocker have directed previous instalments. This summer's lineup is yet to be revealed.
"Little Simz' ability to forge new genre-defying ideas and her ambition to inspire the next generation of creators aligns with what the Southbank Centre's artistic programme and vision stands for," said Jane Beese, Head of Contemporary Music, Southbank Centre. "We're incredibly excited to witness the lineup she'll curate and for the power of her great art, leadership and culture to bring people together on-site for our 30th year."
Last month, Simz dropped a new single, 'Hello, Hi'.